Miranda
by SoulfullyInclined
Summary: Contains abuse. Rated for violence. I don't own anyone. *Please Review.* Edited.
1. Bathroom

It was after lunch; I was in the bathroom stall and had just finished cutting, razor blade in my hand. I heard the door open, startling me followed by the sound of 2 voices I knew very well, Anastasia and Belle. They were in some of my classes. I was so startled the razor fell to the floor, clinking. It peered up at me from the tile floor and I debated if I should move it, or me, or not. If I moved it they would know I was a cutter but if I didn't they'd know I cut. Either way, they'd know I cut. As slowly and as carefully as I could I slid the door lock so that the door was open.

"That was such a big lunch," I heard Belle say.

"Yeah, I know it was. Ugh I really want to lose 5 lbs," Anastasia said.

"Yeah, I know, me too. But how are we supposed to lose weight if they keep serving big lunches? I didn't have breakfast. I'm cold," Belle said.

"I don't know. And I didn't either. Well it's cold in here, so."

"Yeah. It's never enough."

"I know. We need to start excercising more," Anastasia decided; "that'll help."

"Ok."

"Hey, is that yours?" Anastasia asked Belle.

"What?"

"That."

"Oh. No. Yours?"

"No."

"Oh. Well, it can't be Kate's or Lizzie's because we just saw them."

"Yeah, we did. Maybe it's…Miranda's."

"Yeah maybe."

"The stall's full," Belle noted.

"Yeah I know."

I was about to come out of the stall .

"I have an idea," Belle said.

I was pushing the door forward while they were pushing it backwards, landing me on the floor. I'd had enough of that from my dad, as he often hurt me, sometimes knocking me to the floor.

They stood there right in front of me. Anastasia was holding the razor.

"Oh sorry we didn't see you there," Belle said.

"Yes, you did. A few minutes ago you were saying that the stall was full. You know you could've used another one," I said.

"They're all full Miranda."

I looked down the row of stalls and discovered that they were all empty.

"No, they're not, they're all empty."

"And?"

"That's my point," I answered.

"This yours, Miranda?" Anastasia asked; "or, should I say…cutter girl?"

"Um no."

"Well who else's would it be there isn't anyone else in here."

"It could be yours. Or hers."

"It's not."

"Well why don't you?" Belle asked.

"Um, why don't I what?" I asked, confused, but having some idea of what they were about to say.

"You know," Anastasia said.

"Cut," belle said.

"Now? But I have class."

"Ohhh look Anastasia she has class. Isn't that nice?" Belle asked.

"Just shut up."

"We won't until you cut dear. We also," Anastasia said; "won't leave."

"Or let you leave," Belle said; "now cmon."

They leaned down and grabbed my arms, standing me up. The bruises still hurt from this morning.

"Ow," I said; "let ge of me."

"No. Now cmon over to the sink," Anastasia said, pulling me over to the sink.

Belle positioned herself with her back to the door.

Anastasia pushed up my sleeves, letting the various cuts and bruises be exposed.

"Oh is that to make yourself less appealing for your father?" she asked.

It was like a line out of _Girl, Interrupted_.

"Leave my father out of this," I said.

"Is he the one that did that to you? Or was it you Miranda?"

I didn't say anything.

"I need to use the bathroom," we heard a girl say from outside the door.

"We'll be out in a few minutes Nicole," Belle said.

"Ok," the girl called back.

"Now cut," Anastasia said giving me the razor; "right here."

She pointed to my wrist.

"Just tell me that you're not praying for the courage to press down," Belle quoted.

"Cut cut cut cut," Anastasia chimed.

Belle soon joining in.

I did so, tears springing from my eyes.

"There. See now wasn't that easy?" Belle asked.

They left.

"Hello?" the girl asked.

I turned toward the door; "yeah it's open," I said.

A girl my height with her long brown hair in a high ponytail came in and started walking towards the stall but stopped when she saw me.

"Omygod what happened to you? What did those girls do to you?" she asked, coming over.

"They made me cut my wrist," I answered, still crying.

"And the others?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Ok. Ok."

She turned the water on to wash away the blood that was falling off my wrist and into the sink.

"Ouch," I said.

"Sorry. I'll try and be careful. I'm Nicole by the way."

"Yeah I figured as much. I'm Miranda."

Nicole went to the paper towel dispenser and grabbed a bunch of paper towels putting them on my wrist then turning the water off. She gently lifted my arm to my chest.

"There. Keep it there for now," she instructed me.

"Ok."

"You got any friends here sweetie?" she asked me.

"Yeah," I answered, taking a deep, shaky breath; "Ashley and…..and David and Lizzie…..and, Kate. I'm gonna go try and find them."

"Ok."

"Thank you so much Nicole."

"You're welcome. Any time."

I left the bathroom, slightly relieved but mostly humiliated and hurt.


	2. David

I ran out of the bathroom, humilatin burning on my face and tears rolling down it, making it so blurry I could hardly see.

"Miranda where you goin in such a hurry?" my friend David asked, approaching me.

"I…I don't know," I answered.

He then saw my face and my arm.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"No, no. I'm not. At all. Can we talk somewhere?"

"Yeah sure."

David led me down the hall, past classrooms with closed doors, his arm around me .

"This one open?" he muttered, trying the handle of a closed door.

He found that it was unlocked and opened, and led me inside the empty classroom, closing and l ocking the door behind me.

"Now what the hell happened to you?" he asked, going over to the teacher's desk and coming back with a box of tissues, which he sat on the desk next to me.

He sat next to the tissues.

"Well um I was in the bathroom when Anastasia and Belle barged in, knocking me to the ground."

"Didn't they know someone was in there?" he asked.

"Yeah, they did but they lied and told me they didn't."

"Oh."

"Then they grabbed me, pulled me up and Anastasia led me to the sink with Belle against the door. They told me they wouldn't leave until I cut my wrist. Which I did and then they left."

"Wow."

"Yeah I know."

"So that was incredibly humiliating."

"I would assume so."

"Yeah."

"Girls can be pretty vicious sometimes. Not you or Kate or Lizzie or Ashley or Claire…."

I smiled through my tears; "I know what you mean."

David also smiled.

"It's good to see you smile," he told me.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome Miranda."

"But other girls," he said.

"Like them."

"Yes, like them."

"Thanks David."

"Uh huh."

"Any idea why they might have done that?" he asked.

"No," I answered.

"Oh."

"But now they know I cut. And they also. know Kate and Lizzie cut."

I was annoyed.

"Oh."


	3. Bus

Once the bus arrived it, opened its doors. I got on, put my coins in the change slot, found a seat in the middle and sat down. I wondered what was in store, waiting for me at home. I knew my 2 younger sisters, Rosa and Maria would be home, and my mom probably would. I hoped my dad wouldn't but he might. If he was, I knew he'd be yelling at everyone, as was his custom. Why he yelled at us I don't know. But one thing I do know, is that back in Mexico he'd had to go through a lot and even when he came to the states so maybe that was part of why he was still angry. I just don't understand why he had to take it out on Rosa, Maria, my mom and I. But there were a lot of things I didn't understand about the world.

I thought about all that had happened that day what with Anastasia, Belle and the party. I really hadn't wanted to drink and Lily seemed perfectly understanding about that. Claire and Cassandra didn't, however. Claire was more Lizzie and Kate's friend then mine.

It had been a long day, made even longer by the fact that I was dreading arriving home in a few minutes. I looked out the window and saw a coffee shop a block ahead, deciding to stop there for awhile. I pulled the yellow cord above me, which dinged. The bus pulled up to the bus stop and opened its door. I got off and walked into the coffee shop.


	4. Coffee Shop

The coffee shop was large, warm, the smell of coffee floating through the air. People were sitting at several of the booths, some by themselves. I looked around and saw David sitting at one. I walked over to him.

"Hi," I said.

He looked up; "hey Miranda."

"Mind if I sit here?"

"No, I was hoping you'd join me actually."

"Oh."

I slid into the booth.

"What are you doing here so late?" I asked him.

"It's a nice place to go."

I nodded in agreement; "that it is."

"You?" David asked me.

"I needed to get away. And I'm dreading going home."

"Get away? From what?"


	5. Home

It was later that same night; I'd just walked in the front door of my house. My mom was sitting in the living room, reading.

She looked up when she heard me.

"Hi honey," she said.

"Hi Mom," I said.

"How was your day?"

"Long. Yours?"

"Same."

"Dad here yet?"

"No, not yet. Rosa and Maria are upstairs, though. You hungry?"

I suddenly realized I was.

"Yes, I am."

"ok how does pasta sound?"

I smiled; "great Mom."

"Ok I'll get started on it. Then we can have leftovers later this week for dinner."

"Take your time."

"Ok Miranda."

"How was work?" I asked.

"Ok."

"Oh."

"School?"

"Same, I guess."

Mom looked at me; "you guess?"

"Yeah."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"No, not right now."

"Ok. Just to let you know, tomorrow, I'm going to be leaving for work earlier than usual."

"Ok. I'll give Rosa and Maria breakfast."

"Great. You know where everything is."

"Uh huh. What about breakfast for you?"

"Oh, I'll get some on the way."

"You want me to make you anything?"

Mom smiled; "only if you really want to Miranda."

"Ok."

I went upstairs.


	6. Tuesday

It was the next day, Tuesday. I was walking across the wide front lawn of the school. Students were milling about. I hadn't seen Lizzie, Kate or David yet.

I felt 2 hands grab my arms, one on each arm.

"Omygod," I said, startled.

"Miranda, we need," the voice was familar.

"To talk to you," the other one said.

I turned my head and saw Anastasia and Belle on either side of me.

"Um ok inside or.....?" I asked.

"No further away, the park," Anastasia said.

"Um, ok, now?"

"Yes, now," Belle said.

"But ...we have class...right...now."

"Cmon let's go."

They led me away, across the lawn, the street and into the park where we sat under the shade of a large pine tree.

"Um wow why'd you lead me away so quickly?" I asked.

"We need, to tell you something," Anastasia said.

"Yeah you mentioned that. So go on. What is it?"

"We.......well we're sorry, for, yesterday," Belle said.

"Oh."

"That comment we made, about making yourself less appealing for......." Anastasia said.

"My dad. Yeah I know. That's straight out of girl interrupted."

"Well yes that too. But Miranda, we," Belle said.

"Have to cut," Anastasia put in.

"Um but it's......a mental addiction," I said, not getting it.

"No, I mean we actually _have_ to, our dads, they........"

And then it clicked.

"Ohhhhhhh. You mean?"

They nodded.

"Wow."

"Hey do you wanna come over later?" Belle asked.

"Sure yeah ok," I replied

"We better get to class."


	7. Class

When I got to class most of the students were already seated. I chose a seat next to David.

"Hey what happened?" he asked.

"Hey sorry I'm late."

"Yeah it's ok. So where were you?"'

"I was out, talking."

"With?"

"With...Anastasia and Belle."

"But aren't they the ones who...?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes, they are."

"Oh, then why...?"

"They wanted to talk to me."

"Oh. About?"

"They invited me over after school," I answered.

"Oh."

"They're not as bad as everyone makes them out to be."

"Oh. Well, ok."

Our friends Kate and Claire walked into the room. They sat down next to us.

"Hey," Kate said.

"Hey," David said.

"Hi Claire," I said, trying to be friendly.

"Hi," she said grumpily.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing I, nothing."

There was clearly something going on with her.

"Claire, I just talked to Anastasia and Belle. I'm pretty sure you can trust me," I tried to reason with her.

"Oh. Ok. Well."

"Yes?"

"Are you doin anything after school?" she asked.

"Yeah I'm going to their place, a-parrently."

"Oh ok great I'll ask them if I can come with."

"But, what about Keesha and Reba?" Kate asked, of Claire's younger sisters.

She meant who'd stay with them if Claire wouldn't be there.

"Will you, stay with them for a bit?"

"Ok sure."

"I haven't seen Lizzie have you?" David asked.

"No, no I haven't."

"Oh."

"Hey, will either you or Shannon make sure Mom, Rosa and Maria are ok?" I asked David, referring to his younger sister.

"Yeah sure."

"Ok."

By 'ok' I was asking if they'd make sure my dad didn't hurt them.


End file.
